Gluten-Free Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
These vegan & gluten-free buffalo cauliflower bites are a game day hit! Crispy cauliflower florets tossed in a spicy buffalo sauce are a party appetizer that everyone can enjoy.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 661kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower
- 500 ml frying oil I recommend avocado oil or canola oil
- ¾ cup buffalo sauce
Batter
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon each: cayenne and garlic powder, black pepper
- 1⅓ cup water
- ½ cup ranch
Instructions
- Fill a heavy-bottom pot with the frying oil. Depending on the size of your pot, the oil should be about 1 inch deep. Turn the heat to medium and allow the oil to slowly warm up.
- While the oil is heating, wash the head of cauliflower, dry, and chop into florets. They should be about 1-2 inches in diameter.
- In a very large bowl, combine the batter ingredients, mixing the dry ingredients thoroughly before adding the water. You will notice the batter will thicken and bubble.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the batter and stir to coat entirely. You may need to do this in batches.
- Test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small amount of batter in. If it bubbles, puffs, and browns, the oil is good to go.
- Carefully use tongs or a slotted spoon to drop battered cauliflower florets into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot to ensure each floret has space around it. You will have to do this in batches.
- Fry for approximately 2-3 minutes before flipping and cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes. Watch the smaller pieces if you have varying sizes.
- Once golden brown, remove from the oil with tongs or a slotted spoon and place cauliflower on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Repeat the frying until all of the cauliflower is cooked.
- Just before you're ready to serve, add the fried cauliflower to a large bowl with the buffalo sauce. Stir or shake around to ensure the cauliflower get fully coated in sauce. Plate and serve with a side of ranch. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is naturally vegan. Serve with a dairy-free ranch if required.
- Can I air fry the cauliflower bites? Since this is a wet batter, it must be fried in oil. Enjoy it!
- Storage: If you are not planning to serve the entire head of cauliflower, fried cauliflower florets (un-sauced) can be frozen for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, simply air fry (~7 minutes at 350ºF) or bake in the oven (~10 minutes at 400ºF) until crispy. Then coat with buffalo sauce and enjoy again!
Nutrition
Calories: 661kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1.7g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 7.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1291mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 1.4g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 0.7mg